


Snap, Crackle, Pop.

by Butterbeerandbutterknives



Series: Cereal Slogans, Shane, and EDS [1]
Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Chronic Illness, Chronic Pain, EDs, Ehlers- Danlos Syndrome, Gen, dislocation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-18 03:18:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14203878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Butterbeerandbutterknives/pseuds/Butterbeerandbutterknives
Summary: “Don’t tell me that’s a fuckin’ fleshlight or some shit.” Ryan said incredulously.The taller man couldn’t find it in himself to look at his best friend as he unfolded the object in his hand.“Oh,” Ryan breathed, surprised. “Is that a cane?”---------------------------Or, in which Shane's secret comes to life not as a shout, bang, or clash; but rather as a POP!





	Snap, Crackle, Pop.

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, this is inspired by a work by Softporecorn, so go check out their Shane + EDS fic!  
> Secondly, I am not a doctor, and this is written purely from personal experience with hypermobile joints, and therefore is not an accurate portrayal of anything. Let me know if you want more one shots like this!

Shane liked to think of himself as rather eloquent, thank you very much. While not naturally born smart, he had worked hard for his intelligence, and liked being able to accurately describe any situation with a few five-dollar words rather than use many smaller words. In this moment though, all he could think was fuck.

“Ow, Fuck!’’ Apparently, it was all he could say was that, too. Shane dropped on his butt quickly, grabbing the handrail of the stairs he was so he didn’t go toppling down. 

“Oh, holy shit!” Ryan exclaimed, startled by his friend suddenly collapsing beside him. “Dude, what’s wrong?’’ 

Shane couldn’t hear him; the pain was too much. His kneecap was dislocated, a feeling he was familiar with, but it certainly didn’t make it less painful. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” His hands grabbed the kneecap while his vision was fuzzy. 

“Dude, let me look.’’ Ryan said urgently, rolling up the taller mans jeans fervently. “Oh my god.” The black-haired man sounded like he might be sick. “Holy shit dude, your knee; oh god we have to call an ambulance.” He went to grab his phone and dial, but Shane interrupted. 

Shane knew he saw the way his kneecap was now on the side of his knee, not in front. “No.” He said through clenched teeth. “Move.” 

“What?” Ryan queried. 

Shane wordlessly put his injured leg on the hand rail and pushed his thigh down as far as he could, making his knee hyperextend. A loud, crunching POP! Echoed through the grand entrance. Shane took a couple of deep breaths before he relaxed and took his leg back below his heart. “I’m fine.’’ He quickly tried to reassure Ryan. “This happens sometimes, it’s no big deal.” 

Ryan stared at him, mouth hanging open with shock. “But, but your knee! That looked painful, dude, you might need surgery or something!’’

“It’s fine.” Shane said. “I reduced the dislocation, it’s okay now.’’ 

“You said it yourself! You just dislocated your knee!’’ 

“I did not dislocate my knee, Ryan.” Shane stressed his friends name. “It was just my patella. And really, I’m fine now.”

“Jesus fuck Madej! How many times has this happened to you?’’ Ryan asked, worried. 

“Often enough.” Shane tried to brush off the sentence, slowly moving his just- injured leg. He hissed with pain. Not a good one this time. Fuck it all. He knew at some point his secret would come out, but he hoped that it was like, after he retired and not in the middle of a shoot. There was no avoiding it this time, however. “Listen, I need a favor.” 

“Sure, what do you need?” Ryan inquired, still very concerned. 

“Can you go get my backpack from the other room?’’ 

“Unless you have a miniature Doogie Howser in there I’m not sure how that will help.” 

“Please.” The taller man emphasized. 

“Well there’s the magic word!” Ryan exclaimed. “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.” With that, he turned to go back up the stairs. 

Shane sighed and put his head in his hands. Not only had he ruined the shoot, but there was no way to lie out of this one, and he hated that he knew people were going to treat him differently after they found out. They always did. 

“Okay, here we go!’’ Ryan hurried back, his camera thankfully off now. 

Shane slowly unzipped his backpack, slowly pulling out the object inside that he needed. 

“Don’t tell me that’s a fuckin’ fleshlight or some shit.” Ryan said incredulously. 

The taller man couldn’t find it in himself to look at his best friend as he unfolded the object in his hand. 

“Oh,” Ryan breathed, surprised. “Is that a cane?” 

“Yeah.” Shane replied, clearing his throat. “Uh, yeah, it is.” 

“Dude, you’re not like, sick or something are you?” Ryan asked, the pieces suddenly connecting. The random pops on the EVPs, Shane comically holding his back after sleeping on the floor all night. The countless bottles of ‘vitamins’ he took multiple times a day. “Like, do you have an auto-immune thing like Zach?’’

“Nothing auto-immune.” Shane said, looking at the shorter man. “It’s uh, genetic. My body incorrectly makes the collegian holding my body together, and sometimes the connective tissue kind of, fails.” He sighed. “it’s called Ehlers- Danlos Syndrome and it’s kind of rare.” 

“It must be.” Ryan said, “I mean, I’m a hypochondriac with internet access and I’ve never heard of it.’’

Shane wheezed, and they laughed for a moment, breaking the tension.

“Does it hurt?” Ryan asked seriously. “Like, does your knee hurt now?’’ 

“My joints always hurt.” Shane answered. “They hurt more after the pop out of the socket, but it’s always there. It’s my normal.” 

“Shit. Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve, I don’t know helped you or something.”

Shane stood up with a soft oof, balancing himself carefully so more weight was on his cane than his leg. “There’s nothing you could’ve done to help me, Ryan. Even the doctors don’t know how to help. PT stops it from getting worse but there’s no getting better and I didn’t want you to see me differently.” 

“Why did you think I would see you differently?” Ryan asked softly. “I mean, yes, I’m worried about you, but you’re my friend. I certainly don’t see you as like, broken or something.” 

Shane didn’t know quite what else to say. “Come on.’’ He encouraged Ryan. “Let’s go set our sleeping bags set up.” 

“You’re not, like dying or anything, right?” Ryan queried. “Like, it’s not life threatening?’’ 

Shane shook his head. “My internal organs are affected, but it’s not serious. EDS will probably be what kills me, but I’ll live just as long as anyone else.”

“Thank you.” Ryan said. “I know it must be hard to discuss.” 

“Eh, it’s okay.” Shane shrugged. “Just don’t call me rice crispy joints or anything.” 

“Dude, I am so gonna call you that!’’ Ryan exclaimed.

They wheezed into the night, feeling closer than ever with their bond strengthened.


End file.
